Heat exchanger plate for a heat exchanger

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger plate for a heat exchanger may include a plate bottom having at least one through opening. The at least one through opening may be arranged in a bottom plane. An opening edge may extend around the at least one through opening. The opening edge may be formed by and protrude laterally away from the plate bottom. The at least one through opening may extend along a normal direction perpendicular to the bottom plane. The opening edge may be structured such that (i) a diameter of the at least one through opening increases away from the bottom plane along the normal direction at least in some sections and (ii) the diameter of the at least one through opening is larger at at least one distance from the bottom plane, which is predetermined with respect to the normal direction, than at the bottom plane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2020 201 131.1, filed on Jan. 30, 2020, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a heat exchanger plate for a heat exchanger, in particular for a stacked-plate heat exchanger or for a plate heat exchanger. The invention further relates to a heat exchanger, in particular a stacked-plate heat exchanger or a plate heat exchanger, comprising heat exchanger plates of this type.

BACKGROUND

Heat exchangers, which are embodied as stacked-plate or plate heat exchangers, serve to transfer heat between two fluids, which are guided through the heat exchanger in a fluidically separated manner. For this purpose, several first fluid ducts for being flown through with a first fluid, and several second fluid ducts for being flown through with a second fluid, fluidically separated from the first fluid, are typically formed in the heat exchanger. The formation of the fluid ducts takes place with the help of several plates, which are stacked one on top of the other along a stack direction and are thereby arranged at a distance from one another. The spaces between two plates, which are adjacent in the stack direction, alternately form first and second fluid ducts along the stack direction. To distribute the first fluid to all first fluid ducts and the second fluid to all second fluid ducts, through openings are typically provided in the plate bottoms of the individual plates, which through openings are in each case surrounded by a dome, which protrudes in the stack direction. Said dome can be soldered to the plate, which is adjacent in the stack direction. A second fluid duct, which is arranged between two first fluid ducts in the stack direction, is fluidically bridged in this way, i.e. the first fluid can be distributed to the first fluid ducts across the second fluid ducts and, after flowing through them, can be accumulated again from them. The same applies accordingly for the second fluid ducts and the second fluid.

Due to the geometry of the dome surrounding the respective through opening, which dome, in the case of conventional heat exchangers, typically tapers away from the plate bottom, which means that the diameter of said through opening decreases away from the plate bottom, configurations of heat exchangers cannot be realized, in the case of which several first or second fluid ducts are arranged directly next to one another in the stack direction and are fluidically bridged by means of said through openings and their domes. On the contrary, only configurations can be realized without larger technical effort, in the case of which first and second fluid ducts alternate along the stack direction.

SUMMARY

It is thus an object of the present invention to create an improved embodiment of a heat exchanger plate, which makes it possible to realize heat exchangers, in particular stacked-plate or plate heat exchangers, in the case of which any sequences of first and second fluid ducts can be realized along the stack direction. A further embodiment of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger comprising a heat exchanger plate of this type.

This object is solved by means of the subject matter of the independent patent claim(s). Preferred embodiments form the subject matter of the dependent patent claim(s).

It is thus the basic idea of the invention to provide a through opening in the plate bottom of a heat exchanger plate with an opening edge, which protrudes away from the plate bottom and which is formed in a dome-like manner and circumferentially surrounds the through opening, preferably completely.

A formation of the opening edge, thus of the dome, along a (normal) direction perpendicular to the plate bottom in such a way that a diameter of the through opening along the normal direction increases at least in some sections, is thereby significant for the invention. Such a geometry of the opening edge or of the through opening surrounded by the opening edge, respectively, makes it possible to connect the opening edge directly to an adjacent heat exchanger plate by means of a substance-to-substance bond in a simple way. In a heat exchanger comprising several such heat exchanger plates, which are stacked one on top of the other along a stack direction, quasi any arrangements of above-mentioned first and second fluid ducts can thus be created, which are formed between two respective heat exchanger plates, which are adjacent in the stack direction.

A heat exchanger plate according to the invention for a heat exchanger, in particular for a stacked-plate heat exchanger or for a plate heat exchanger comprises a plate bottom. A plate collar can protrude away from an outer edge of the plate bottom at an angle on the outside in a completely circumferential manner. In this case, the plate bottom and the plate collar are formed integrally and from the same material. The position of a bottom plane is specified by at least one through opening, which is present in the plate bottom. An opening cross section of the through opening in the plate bottom thus extends in the bottom plane. This through opening is surrounded by an opening edge, which is formed by the heat exchanger plate and which protrudes laterally away from the plate bottom, is preferably bent over. The opening edge and the plate bottom are preferably also formed integrally and from the same material, i.e. the opening edge and the plate bottom are preferably integrally molded on one another. According to the invention, the opening edge is formed such that a diameter of the through opening increases away from the bottom plane along a normal direction perpendicular to the bottom plane at least in some sections, so that the diameter of the through opening has a larger value in at least one distance to the bottom plane, which is predetermined with respect to the normal direction, than in the bottom plane.

The opening edge preferably tapers, particularly preferably at least in some sections, towards the opening plane. It is ensured in this way that sufficient surface area for connecting by means of a substance-to-substance bond, in particular for soldering or welding, the heat exchanger plate to an adjacent heat exchanger plate of a heat exchanger is available at the opening edge.

According to a preferred embodiment, the opening edge extends along the normal direction from the bottom plane to an end plane, which runs parallel to the bottom plane. In the case of this embodiment, the diameter of the through opening is larger in the end plane than in the bottom plane. The diameter in the end plane can particularly preferably have a maximum value.

According to an advantageous further development, not only the diameter, but also an opening cross section of the through opening has at least the same value, preferably a larger value, in the end plane than in the bottom plane.

Particularly preferably, the diameter and/or the opening cross section of the through opening can initially decrease and subsequently increase again along the normal direction. The geometry of the opening edge, which is significant for the invention, can thus be realized by simply bending over the opening edge.

The opening edge can advantageously be bent over to the outside by at least 90°, preferably by at least 180°. At least one end section of the plate bottom, which faces away from the plate bottom, thus extends parallel to the plate bottom, so that the end section can be soldered or welded in a planar manner to an adjacent heat exchanger plate. An end section, which faces away from the plate bottom, thus particularly preferably extends parallel to the bottom plane. In the alternative, an arrangement of the end section at an acute angle to the bottom plane is also conceivable. This variation can be technically implemented particularly easily because an exact alignment of the end section parallel to the bottom plane or to the plate bottom, respectively, can be forgone.

According to a preferred embodiment, the opening edge is formed as dome, which circumferentially surrounds the through opening, preferably completely. In this way, the dome can be used for the fluid-tight separation of the through opening, which is surrounded by the dome, with respect to the region, which is arranged radially outside of the dome, when the heat exchanger plate is installed in a heat exchanger and is soldered or welded to adjacent heat exchanger plates.

According to another preferred embodiment, the opening edge is formed to be curved in a longitudinal section along the normal direction.

According to a preferred embodiment, the through opening and thus also the opening edge, in a top view onto the heat exchanger plate in the normal direction, has a round, preferably an oval or circular geometry. However, other geometries can also be realized in variations of the example.

The invention further relates to a heat exchanger, which is formed as stacked-plate heat exchanger or as plate heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a plurality of plates, which are stacked one on top of the other along a normal direction, wherein two respective plates, which are adjacent in the normal direction, limit a fluid path. At least one of the plates is an above-described heat exchanger plate according to the invention. The above-described advantages of the heat exchanger plate thus also transfer to the heat exchanger according to the invention. According to the invention, the opening edge of the through opening of the heat exchanger plate is connected by means of a substance-to-substance bond by means of a soldered connection or welded connection to the plate, which is adjacent in the normal direction and which can be, but does not have to be, a heat exchanger plate according to the invention.

According to an advantageous further development, at least two, preferably several, plates, which are adjacent in the normal direction, are in each case formed by means of a heat exchanger plate according to the invention.

According to an advantageous further development, a plate, which differs from a heat exchanger plate according to the invention in that the through opening is not surrounded by a laterally protruding opening edge, is arranged in the stack direction between two plates, which are in each case formed as heat exchanger plate according to the invention.

In the case of a further preferred further development of the heat exchanger, at least two of the plates, which are adjacent in the normal direction, abut against one another in the region of their through openings transversely to the normal direction without overlapping, in particular without positive connection. These at least two plates are preferably formed by heat exchanger plates according to the invention in terms of the above description. The position tolerances of the apertures or of the opening edges, respectively, which are to be complied with, of each plate can thus be increased in an advantageous manner, because even in the case of a slight offset of the adjacent plates transversely to the normal direction, an abutment of the plates against one another, which is sufficient for the fastening of the plates to one another, can still be attained. This has a lowering effect on the costs for the production of the plates and on the assembly of the heat exchanger.

In the region of the through openings, each plate advantageously abuts against the plates adjacent to it transversely to the normal direction without overlapping, in particular without positive connection. The advantage described in the preceding paragraph can thus even be utilized in multiple ways, which is associated with particularly low production and assembly costs.

Further important features and advantages of the invention follow from the subclaims, from the drawings, and from the corresponding figure description on the basis of the drawings.

It goes without saying that the above-mentioned features and the features, which will be described below, cannot only be used in the respective specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail in the following description, whereby identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In each case schematically:

FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional heat exchanger plate, which is known from the prior art, in perspective illustration,

FIG. 2 shows the heat exchanger plate of FIG. 1 in the region of a through opening, which is formed in the plate bottom of the heat exchanger plate and which is surrounded by a dome,

FIG. 3 shows a partial view of a conventional heat exchanger comprising several conventional heat exchanger plates, which are stacked one on top of the other, according to FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 4 shows a partial illustration of a heat exchanger plate according to the invention in the region of the through opening, which is formed in the plate bottom,

FIG. 5 shows an alternative illustration of the heat exchanger plate, which supplements FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 shows a partial view of a heat exchanger according to the invention comprising several heat exchanger plates according to the invention, which are stacked one on top of the other, according to FIGS. 4 and 5,

FIG. 7 shows a variation of the heat exchanger according to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional heat exchanger plate 1′, which is known from the prior art. The conventional heat exchanger plate 1′ comprises a plate bottom 2′, which is circumferentially surrounded by a plate collar 3′, which protrudes at an angle. As an example, four through openings 4 a′, 4 b′, 4 c′, 4 d′ are provided in the plate bottom 2′. The two through openings 4 a′, 4 b′ are surrounded in a completely circumferential manner by a dome-like opening edge 5′, which protrudes laterally away from the plate bottom 2′. The two other through openings 4 c′, 4 d′ do not have a protruding opening edge 5′ of this type. The through openings 4 a′ to 4 d′ and thus also the opening edges 5′ can have a round, in particular an oval, or circular geometry or edge contour, respectively. It goes without saying, however, that other geometries are also conceivable in non-illustrated variations.

In an exemplary manner, FIG. 2 shows the conventional heat exchanger plate 1′ in the region of the through opening 4 a′. As FIG. 2 shows, the opening edge 5′ in the case of the conventional heat exchanger plate 1′ is formed such that a diameter D′ of the through opening 4 a′, which is measured along a normal direction R′ perpendicular to the bottom plane BE′, decreases, starting at the bottom plane BE′. The opening edge 5′ thus limits the through opening 4 a′ along the normal direction R′. The diameter D′ of the through opening 4 a′, which is measured along the normal direction R′ at the distance A′ from the bottom plane BE′, thereby has a smaller value d_(EE)′ there than in the bottom plane BE′ itself, in which the value is d_(BE)′. The following thus applies: d_(BE)′>d_(EE)′.

If several conventional heat exchanger plates 1′ of this type are stacked one on top the other along a stack direction S′, as it is illustrated in FIG. 3 for two plates 1′ of this type, in order to form a conventional heat exchanger 50′, which is known from the prior art, first fluid ducts 51 a′ and, fluidically separated from the latter, second fluid ducts 51 b′ are alternately formed along the stack direction S′ between the individual heat exchanger plates 1′. A first fluid F1′ can thus flow through the first fluid ducts 51 a′, a second fluid F2′ can flow through the second fluid ducts 51 b′ fluidically separately therefrom.

Two first fluid ducts 51 a′, which are adjacent in the stack direction S′, are connected to one another by means of the two through openings 4 a′, 4 c′. The fluidic separation of the two first fluid ducts 51 a′ from the second fluid duct 51 b′, which is arranged between the two first fluid ducts 51 a′, takes place by means of the opening edge 5, which is provided at the through opening 4 a′, and which is connected by means of a substance-to-substance bond by means of a soldered connection and thus in a fluid-tight manner to the heat exchanger plate 1′, which is adjacent in the stack direction S′. The second fluid duct 51 b′, which is in each case arranged in the stack direction S′ between two first fluid ducts 51 a′, is thus quasi fluidically “bridged” by means of the opening edge 5′.

In the case of conventional heat exchangers 1′ of this type, however, it is not possible or only with considerable technical effort due to the above-described geometry of the opening edge 5′, which is associated with a diameter D′, which decreases away from the plate bottom, of the respective through opening 4 a′, to bridge several second fluid ducts 51 b′, which are adjacent in the stack direction S, thus to create a fluid connection between two first fluid ducts 51 a′, between which, directly adjacent to one another, two or more second fluid ducts 51 b′ are formed; this is so, because the opening edge 5′ cannot be connected with its edge section 52′, which is maximally spaced apart from the plate bottom 2′, to the plate bottom, which is adjacent in the stack direction, because an annular region 53′ of the through opening 4 a′ is still present in this region of the adjacent heat exchanger plate.

This disadvantage does not exist in the case of a heat exchanger plate 1 according to the invention, as will be described below on the basis of the illustration of FIGS. 4 and 5, which, analogously to FIG. 2, shows a heat exchanger plate 1 according to the invention in an exemplary manner in the region of the through opening 4 a, which is formed in the plate bottom 2. The through opening 4 a as well as the opening edge 5 limiting this through opening 4 a extend along the normal direction R from the bottom plane BE to an end plane EE, which is arranged at a predetermined distance A parallel to the bottom plane BE.

The heat exchanger plate 1 according to the invention differs from the conventional heat exchanger plate 1 in the geometry of the opening edge 5, which surrounds the through opening 4 a (or 4 b, respectively).

As FIGS. 4 and 5 show, the opening edge 5 in the case of the heat exchanger plate 1 according to the invention, compared to the conventional heat exchanger 50′ known from the prior art, is formed such that the diameter D, measured in a direction perpendicular to the normal direction R, and also an opening cross section Q of the through opening 4 a, measured in a plane perpendicular to the normal direction R, initially decrease and subsequently increase again along the normal direction R. The diameter D of the through opening 4 a thus increases at least in some sections along the normal direction R away from the bottom plane BE. This means that in at least a predetermined distance measured along the normal direction R, the diameter D of the through opening 4 a has a larger value d_(EE) than in the bottom plane BE itself, where the diameter D has a value d_(BE). d_(EE)>d_(BE) thus applies for at least a predetermined distance A. In the example of FIGS. 4 and 5, the edge section 6, which is arranged in the end plane EE, is the end section 7 of the opening edge 5, which faces away from the bottom plane. In the case of the heat exchanger plate 1, the value q_(EE) of the opening cross section Q of the through opening 4 a in the end plane EE is larger than a value q_(BE) of the opening cross section Q of the through opening 4 a in the bottom plane BE.

As FIG. 4 or 5 show, respectively, the opening edge 5 is for this purpose formed to be bent, in particular in a longitudinal section along the normal direction R. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the opening edge 5 can be bent over to the outside by 180°, starting at the plate bottom 2. In the case of the example of FIG. 4 or 5, respectively, the end section 7 of the heat exchanger plate 1, which faces away from the plate bottom 2 or from the bottom plane BE, respectively, extends parallel to the bottom plane BE, but can be arranged at an acute angle α to the bottom plane BE in an alternative variation, which is suggested by means of dashes and which is identified with “Z”.

FIG. 6 shows a partial illustration of a heat exchanger 50 according to the invention comprising several heat exchanger plates 1 according to the invention, which are stacked one on top of the other in the stack direction S. FIG. 6 shows the heat exchanger 1 in the region of the through openings 4 a of the heat exchanger plates 1, which are stacked one on top of the other. The stack direction S of the heat exchanger 50 is identical to the normal direction R of the heat exchanger plates 1. It can be seen that a continuous fluid duct 52 c, which runs in the stack direction S and through which the first fluid F1 can flow, is formed by the through openings 4 a, which are formed so as to follow one another in the stack direction S. The fluid duct 52 c thus forms a so-called “immersion nozzle” within the heat exchanger 50. Several second fluid ducts, which follow one another directly in the stack direction S and through which the second fluid F2 can flow, can be fluidically “bridged” in this way.

FIG. 7 shows a variation of the example of FIG. 6. In the example of FIG. 7, the heat exchanger 50 comprises several heat exchanger plates 1 comprising the opening edge 5, which is significant for the invention, as well as further heat exchanger plates 1*, in the case of which the through openings 4 a*, which are present in the plate bottom 2*, do not have a laterally protruding opening edge, are thus not surrounded by a dome. In the example of FIG. 7, a configuration of first and second fluid ducts 51 a, 51 b is realized in this way, in the case of which not one, but two second fluid ducts 51 b are arranged in the stack direction S between two first fluid ducts 51 a, adjacent to one another in the stack direction S. This configuration is attained in that a heat exchanger plate 1* without dome in each case follows two heat exchanger plates 1 according to the invention comprising a bent-over opening edge 5 or dome, respectively, in the stack direction A.

It can further be gathered from FIGS. 3, 6, and 7 that in the region of their through openings 4 a, at least two plates 1, 1*, which are adjacent in the normal direction R, abut against one another transversely to the normal direction R without overlapping, in the examples without positive connection. These two at least two plates 1, 1*, which abut against one another in the region of their apertures 4 a transversely to the normal direction R, are formed, for example, by heat exchanger plates 1 according to the invention, such as one of them is in each case illustrated separately in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5. It can further be seen that the abutment of the plates 1, 1*, which is required for the fastening of the plates 1, 1* to one another along the normal direction R, does not require an exact alignment of the apertures 4 a along the normal direction R. On the contrary, this construction allows that the apertures 4 a of adjacent plates 1, 1* can be arranged so as not to be aligned relative to one another transversely to the normal direction R, because specifically no overlapping of these adjacent plates 1, 1* is present transversely to the normal direction R in the region of the apertures 4 a. The tolerances of the positioning of the apertures 4 a in the respective plate 1, 1*, which are to be complied with, can thus be comparatively rough. In the examples, each plate 1, 1* abuts against its adjacent plates 1, 1* in the region of the through openings 4 a transversely to the normal direction R without overlapping, for example without positive connection. 

1. A heat exchanger plate for a heat exchanger, comprising: a plate bottom having at least one through opening, the at least one through opening arranged in a bottom plane; an opening edge extending around the at least one through opening, the opening edge formed by and protruding laterally away from the plate bottom; the at least one through opening extending along a normal direction perpendicular to the bottom plane; and wherein the opening edge is structured such that (i) a diameter of the at least one through opening increases away from the bottom plane along the normal direction at least in some sections and (ii) the diameter of the at least one through opening is larger at at least one distance from the bottom plane, which is predetermined with respect to the normal direction, than at the bottom plane.
 2. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge tapers towards the bottom plane at least in some sections.
 3. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein: the opening edge extends along the normal direction from the bottom plane to an end plane, which extends parallel to the bottom plane; and the diameter of the at least one through opening is larger at the end plane than at the bottom plane.
 4. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein an area of an opening cross section of the at least one through opening at the end plane is equal to an area of the opening cross section at the bottom plane.
 5. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the at least one through opening initially decreases and subsequently increases along the normal direction.
 6. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge is configured as a bent portion of the plate bottom and projects toward an outside by 90° or more.
 7. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge includes an end section that faces away from the plate bottom and extends parallel to the bottom plane.
 8. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge is structured as a dome that extends completely around the at least one through opening in a circumferential manner.
 9. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge is curved.
 10. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the at least one through opening and the opening edge, in a top down view in the normal direction, have a round geometry.
 11. A heat exchanger, comprising: a plurality of plates stacked one on top of the other along a normal direction; a fluid path defined by at least two plates of the plurality of plates that are disposed adjacent to one another in the normal direction; wherein at least one of the plurality of plates is configured as a heat exchanger plate including: a plate bottom having a bottom plane extending perpendicular to the normal direction; at least one through opening disposed in the plate bottom and extending in the normal direction; and an opening edge extending around the at least one through opening, the opening edge formed by and protruding laterally away from the plate bottom; wherein the opening edge is structured such that, at least in a section of the at least one through opening, a diameter of the at least one through opening increases in a direction extending parallel to the normal direction and away from the bottom plane; and wherein the opening edge of the heat exchanger plate is connected via at least one of by means of a substance-to-substance bond, a soldered connection, and a welded connection to a plate of the plurality of plates that, is disposed adjacent thereto in the normal direction.
 12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein at least two adjacent plates of the plurality of plates are each configured as the heat exchanger plate.
 13. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein: at least one of the plurality of plates is configured as an intermediate heat exchanger plate having a through openings that is not surrounded by a laterally protruding opening edge; and the intermediate heat exchanger plate is arranged in the normal direction between the at least two adjacent plates that are each configured as the heat exchanger plate.
 14. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein at least two adjacent plates of the plurality of plates abut one another, in a region of the respective through opening, transversely to the normal direction without overlapping.
 15. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of plates abuts, in a direction transverse to the normal direction, each adjacently arranged plate of the plurality of plates without overlapping.
 16. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein an area of an opening cross section of the at least one through opening at the end plane is larger than an area of the opening cross section at the bottom plane.
 17. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 16, wherein the diameter of the at least one through opening initially decreases and subsequently increases along the normal direction from the bottom plane to the end plane.
 18. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge is configured as a bent portion of the plate bottom and projects toward an outside by 180° or more.
 19. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the opening edge includes an end section that faces away from the plate bottom and extends at an acute angle relative to the bottom plane.
 20. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 19, wherein the opening edge further includes a curved longitudinal section that extends between the bottom plate and the end section in the normal direction. 